Category Archives: News

Residential property deals up almost 19% last year

The number of residential property transactions increased by almost 19% to 44,110 in the 12 months to October 2021, according to the latest Residential Buildings Report published by GeoDirectory and EY. It reveals that over 16% of all property transactions were for newly built homes, which was down compared to the previous year. The average…

Brexit boosts international banks’ Irish balance sheets to over €500bn

The Irish balance sheets of large systemically important banks with international operations run from Ireland have grown by as much as €200bn since the UK voted to leave the EU six years ago, a new study has found. The transfers put Ireland in only second place behind Germany when it comes to the value of…

Inflation in building costs to continue – survey

More than four out of every five builders across the country expect the prices they charge for projects will rise in the first three months of the year when compared to the same period last year, a new survey of the industry has revealed. 99% reported a year-on-year increase in the cost of raw materials,…

Firms supported by Local Enterprise Offices created 7,440 new jobs last year

Companies being supported by the country’s Local Enterprise Offices created 7,440 new jobs last year, a 9% increase on the figure in 2020. It brought to 35,729 the total employed by LEO-supported firms at the end of last year, and marks 8th successive year of employment growth. The vast majority – 85% – of those…

Has the pandemic permanently changed our spending ways?

Covid-19 has undoubtedly changed many aspects of our lives, some of which we would hope to return to as soon as the clouds of the pandemic lift. However, there are some areas where our habits may have shifted permanently and are unlikely to revert completely to the old ways. One example is our relationship with…

SCSI expects property prices to rise by 5% in 2022

The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) has said it expects the median price of a home in Ireland to increase by almost €14,000 this year. A poll of its 580 members predicts a 5% rise in property prices, with most of that frontloaded to the first three months of the year. It reveals that…

‘Collapse’ in home ownership among young adults – report

Home ownership among adults of prime working age has “collapsed” since the financial crisis, according to a report from the Parliamentary Budget Office. Using an international housing affordability survey, the Parliamentary Budget Office concludes the cost of housing here is “severely unaffordable”. The report says this is partly due to “rising rents” and “surging house…

NTMA raises €3.5bn from new 10-year bond

The National Treasury Management Agency raised 3.5 billion euros from the sale of a new 10-year bond, a lead manager for the deal said, covering at least a quarter of its funding needs for 2022. The NTMA, like other European debt management offices, regularly raises a chunk of funds early in the year by selling…

Flexible work to become a reality for employees in 2022

The right to request flexible work arrangements is set to become a reality this year for Irish workers as the EU’s Work Life Balance Directive must be implemented by the Government by October this year. The EU Directive means that employees who are in a caring role such as parents or carers will have the…

Irish mortgages rates still second highest in euro zone

Ireland’s mortgage rates for new loans remained the second highest in the euro area in November, according to the Central Bank. Greece had the highest rates in the euro area. The weighted average interest rate on new mortgages was 2.7% in November, a reduction of 8 basis points or 0.08%, on November 2020. The euro…